Warning Signs of Spiritual Apathy

Like cancer, spiritual apathy is a silent killer. If it goes undetected, it will gradually weaken a Christian’s spiritual vitality and ruin his influence for the Lord.

How do we recognize apathy before its too late?  Here are seven symptoms of spiritual apathy in a believer’s life:

1. DECLINE IN CHURCH ATTENDANCE.  A failure to attend church faithfully shows a disregard for the commandment of God in Hebrews 10:24-25.

2. LITTLE CONCERN FOR LOST SOULS.  When a Christian loses his burden to reach lost souls with the Gospel, shows he no longer has a heart beat for what Christ longs for.

3. NO PARTICIPATION IN CONGREGATIONAL SINGING.  The Bible exhorts us to sing in corporate praise and worship (Ps. 111:1; Heb. 2:12).  When a church member refuses to join other believer’s in singing unto the Lord, it reflects a spirit of boredom and disunity.

4. INDIFFERENCE TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS.  The Bible commands us to bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2).  A Christian who does not obey this command is slipping into self-focused apathy for sure.

5. FAILURE TO HONOR THE PASTOR. Church members are commanded to esteem pastors very highly in love for their work’s sake (1 Thess. 5:12-13). A Christian who is negligent here displays an attitude of disrespect and lack of appreciation.

6.  NEGLECT OF SPIRITUAL VIGILANCE.  Apathy leads a Christian to let his guard down in spiritual warfare and Satan begins to have an advantage.

7.  LACK OF APPETITE FOR THE PREACHING AND TEACHING OF GOD’S WORD.  A loss of appetite is a sure sign something is wrong with a person’s physical well-being. The same is true of spiritual anorexia.

If you detect any of these symptoms in your life, you are either unsaved or severely backslidden. Make the needed corrections before it is too late.